Archive | Blood Glucose Monitor

Apple Has A Top-secret Team Working On The Next Version Of The Diabetes Watch

Over the last decade, we have witnessed an acceleration of modern technological advances especially for people suffering from diabetes, a medical condition that affects over 30 million Americans.

These advances are promising diabetes patients,

fewer injections,

less pains,

less worry and

less mental math about managing this condition.

These new systems provide real time and more accurate information on blood glucose through built-in clinical support algorithms, apps, automated insulin delivery and wireless technology that reduce diabetes complications and the burden in general.

Apple Hires a Secret Team to Develop New Diabetes Treatment System

According to CNBC, AAPL (Apple) has hired a team of biomedical engineers to work on a sensor that will detect blood sugar levels, sparking reports of the company embedding the new sensors into wearable devices that could potentially be “must haves” for diabetes patients. However, it could be a long time before this new technology is actually available on the market. This initiative was envisioned by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, to develop a sensor that can continuously and non-invasively monitor blood glucose levels to better treat diabetes.

There are some recent successes: CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring) systems including the Dexcom G5 Mobile continuous Glucose Monitoring System. This system uses a sensor through a very tiny catheter that is usually slipped just under the patient’s skin in order to provide glucose readings every five minutes. The sensor transmits information wirelessly to a stand-alone smartphone or receiver to alert the patient of downward or upward trends in their blood glucose so they can take appropriate pre-emptive action.

If successful, this revolutionary initiative by Apple could help diabetes patients turn various devices such as the Apple Watch into essential must haves. The breakthrough might be a holy grail for diabetes patients because many life sciences organizations have tried to no avail. Tracking blood sugar levels accurately and non-invasively has proven to be highly challenging. However, According to people familiar with the matter, Apple has been carrying out feasibility trials and has hired a team of consultants to figure out the proper regulatory pathways.

The initiative has been going on for more than five years. Steve Jobs envisioned a wearable device like the Smart watch being used to accurately monitor vitals such as blood glucose, heart rate and oxygen levels. Apple quietly acquired Cor in 2010 after the then CEO Bob Mersserschmidit sent Steve a cold email about sensor technologies for human health and wellness. However, Bob later joined Steve jobs’ Apple Watch team.

The team reports to Apple’s vice president of hardware technology, Johny Srouji. As of a year ago, about 30 people were reportedly working in this group. However, it is speculated that about a dozen experts from companies such as Sano, Masimo, C Vital Connect, C8 Medisensors and Medtronic have joined this secretive group while others joined the team dedicated to the Apple Watch.

The Diabetes Apple Watch Faces An Uphill Battle

According to three people familiar with the matter, Apple is dedicated to developing an optical sensor which will measure indications of blood glucose by simply shining a light through the patient’s skin. John L. Smith described this as one of the most difficult technical challenges he has ever encountered in his career. The process has been littered with failures but this has not stopped companies from attempting to crack this lucrative yet elusive opportunity.

Terrace Gregg, Dexcom Executive chairman told Reuters that to succeed, companies would incur several hundred dollars. However, the breakthrough would me a huge advantage for millions of people suffering from diabetes, open up potential channels for patients to track their blood glucose and spur new medical research. The Apple Watch would provide an easier and more convenient way for consumers to track their blood glucose.

However Apple is not the only company eying the elusive opportunities in this field. Google’s life sciences team, Verily, is also working on a smart contact lens that will measure blood glucose through the eye. In 2015, the team also partnered with Dexcom to develop a device no bigger than the normal bandage that measures blood glucose.

According to the report by CNBC, Apple has hired an anonymous office away from its headquarters for biomedical engineers to work in total secret. The report also indicates that the team has been so successful it’s already conducting trials of the new sensor at various clinical sites in the Bay Area, San Francisco. The team’s recent success is the main reason why Apple has hired consultants to navigate the process of getting approval by the FDA.

One of the practical issues the team aims to overcome is the fact that reading blood glucose using optical issues is hard. On the other hand, there are numerous companies that have tried using non-invasive monitoring for blood glucose and failed. For instance, HealBe’s Go Be promised to count calorie intake non-invasively and failed terribly.

Right now, inserting a sensor just below the skin is the only effective way of continuously monitoring your blood sugar level. Continuous blood glucose monitors use internal sensors that connect with external transmitters that are often held, for example, on the thigh, tricep or stomach. Even wearables such as the KTrack use very tiny needles that are burrowed into the patient’s skin.

Statistics from the WHO (World Health Organization) show that there are more than 422 million diabetes patients in the world. That is up from about 10 million in 1980, a very sharp increase for a condition that is know to be one of the leading causes of kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and blindness. Moreover, more than 4 million deaths per year are directly related to complications with diabetes . Therefore, if Apple can innovate, where so many companies have failed, then it will undoubtedly make the number of consumers willing to buy the Blood Glucose Monitoring Watch, increase exponentially!

Turn your Smart Phone into a Smart Blood Glucose Meter!

The Dario Smart Blood Glucose Monitoring System integrates with your smartphone directly allowing you to monitor and track your blood glucose and other important elements, on your phone. This all-in-one system from LabStyle Innovations was launched internationally in 2013 and has been under review by the FDA since then. Dario was given the go ahead by the FDA in December 2015 and it hit the U.S market in mid May 2016.This system is a sleek plastic device that’s about the size of the normal cigarette lighter with a cartridge of 25 strips housed on top and a lancet built into the bottom.

Technical specifications

Blood sample size: Minimum of 0.3 microlitres

Time to process and display results: 6 seconds

Memory: Limited to phone/device memory

Batteries: not required

Averages: 7, 14, or 30 days

Hematocrit range: 20 to 60%

Measurement range 0.6 to 33.3 mmol/L

Weight: 40 grams

Operating temperature: 50° to 113°F (10° to 45°C)

Storage temperature: 36° to 90°F (2° to 32°C)

Altitude: up to 3,400 meters

Dimensions: 104 x 21 x 11mm.

Explore the Features of the Dario Blood Glucose Monitoring System

All-in-one Glucose Monitoring System

Dario Blood Glucose Monitoring System

There are two main things that make the Dario Blood Glucose Monitoring System stand out from other systems. The first reason is that it turns your smart phone into the glucose meter. The second is that the test strip and lancet holder are combined into one, convenient, easy to use and well-designed device. It is ideal for keeping things discrete because nobody would actually guess that it’s actually a glucose meter.

The lancet/needle

The lancet that is housed on one end of the all-in-one device can be accessed by simply snapping off the orange piece. You can also set the needle’s depth, and then pull down the back piece in order to load the needle before pressing the button (orange button) to release it.

Test strips

Test strips are stored on the opposite end of the device. Therefore, there’s no need to carry around several pieces. Moreover, the cartridge that contains 25 test strips simply snaps into place and you just need to remove the white piece you’ll find at the end. The device comes with two test strip cartridges and each cartridge contains 25 test strips.

Meter attachment

The Dario Smart Blood Glucose Monitoring System turns your smartphone into a blood glucose testing meter by simply plugging in a very small attachment into the phone’s headphone jack. The meter attachment is also conveniently stored in the compact all-in-one device.

The meter

The packing clearly explains how users can download the app and set it up on their phones. You can test your blood sugar by simply plugging in the attachment and opening the app. The device will prompt you to carefully insert a new testing strip before placing a drop of blood on the strip. The meter will count down by first filling in a circle before it displays the glucose level. The device uses a color coding system to show if the glucose level is within range, high or within the borderline. It will then take you to a new screen where you’re required to indicate whether it’s a bedtime, pre-meal or post-meal reading and then enter additional information related to physical activity, insulin, carbs and even tags.

App-Tracking and Analytics

The Dario app is easy to use and very intuitive. It logs important data and then displays it in a clear and meaningful way to the end user. You can also set up your own personal profile which mainly includes the type of bolus/basal medication you use, your blood glucose thresholds and hyper/hypo warnings. Moreover, you can set reminders, track food, and sync fitness apps.

Logbook and Charts

The app is designed to automatically store all readings in the logbook. You can also choose if you want to view it as a chart, timeline, or list. The chart graphs up the last 14 days and you can share your logbook as a CSV or PDF file with your phone contacts or even by entering an email address.

On-Demand Sharing

The app also lets you chart more including carbohydrate intake, calories and insulin doses and the results can be shared with anyone such as your doctor or family. Moreover, the statistics tab generally gives you a summary for a day, or the last week (7 days), month (30 days), or 90 days. This summary tells you the number of readings you had, the highest or lowest reading and then breaks the data down by how many readings were in range, average or below and then by how many hypers or hypos you had based on your custom settings. You can also click the summary box to see all the readings that fall into that specific category.

Emergency Hypo Alerts

This is an additional safety feature that once enabled on your device; Dario sends a text message to 4 people with your current blood glucose level and a link to where you are using your device’s GPS coordinates. This feature is ideal for people who have or had hypo problems in the past because they can go anywhere at any time with peace of mind.

What are the Benefits of Dairo Smart Blood Glucose Monitoring System?

This is one of the latest blood testing meters and everything in the system fits perfectly together. Therefore, instead of carrying around your pouch with separate pieces (lancing device, test strips, meters, etc), all you really need is one compact device and your phone

The device is great when it comes to logging everything making your data super convenient to share.

You don’t have to worry about charging your meter because the device will work as long as your phone does not run out of charge.

The Dario Smart Meter is very small and compact. The case dimensions are 104mm x 21mm x 11mm. This includes the lancing device, test strips and the meter itself.

The device is compatible with both android (OS 4.12 or higher) and iOS devices (OS 6.1 or higher)

Drawbacks

The device does not sync with other diabetic devices.

Is the The Dario Smart Blood Glucose Monitoring System for me?

If you’re looking for a system that is compact and allows users to log readings directly to their phones, this device is a great option!

The routine activity of pricking fingers to monitor blood glucose levels is quite hectic for most people with diabetes. Despite this dreadful daily process, the management and control of diabetes is very important. Fortunately, new glucose meters that don’t require blood, for checking blood glucose levels are being developed by numerous companies around the globe, as we speak – welcome relief for many, many diabetes sufferers.

FreeStyle Libre

FreeStyle Libre by Abbott is an entirely new glucose monitoring concept that provides much greater data than CGM (continuous glucose monitors). The readings are provided by simply scanning a sensor instead of pricking your finger.

Main advantages of FreeStyle Libre

Lightweight and compact to carry around

It provides a graph of how glucose levels are varying just like a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor)

Users can see how much results are trending downwards or upwards by simply scanning the sensor.

The FreeStyle Libre sensor is waterproof for 30 minutes in up to 1 meter.

More affordable than continuous glucose monitors.

The backlit color touch screen can be read in the dark

One of the main benefits of FreeStyle Libre is that it stores up to 90 days of data and you can easily analyze your glucose trend over three months.

GlucoWise

GlucoWise allows the concentration of blood sugar to be measured at the blood capillary level. Blood glucose levels are measured by a non-invasive technique by transmitting low-power radio waves (65 GHz) sections of the body such as the earlobe or between the forefinger and thumb. Besides having adequate blood supply, the tissue in these areas is thin enough for the radio waves to pass through.

The radio signals are received by a receiver that collects and analyzes data about the characteristics of your blood. User data is digitally encrypted and transmitted via Bluetooth 4.0 to ensure that user data is never shared with third parties. Data can also be uploaded to secure online database or transmitted to computers using a USB port. Although GlucoWise is still in development, it is expected to be available in late 2016.

Dexcom G5 CGM mobile system

Dexcom G5 is a CGM (continuous glucose monitoring) system that is approved for both adults and children two years and older. Dexcom G5 mobile uses Bluetooth technology that is built into a transmitter that allows for remote viewing of blood glucose levels and trends from compatible smart devices. Users can monitor glucose data by using a Dexcom mobile receiver or the Dexcom G5 mobile app.

Benefits of the Dexcom G5 mobile system

The transmitter is secured on top of the sensor in order to send in order to send data to your receiver or compatible smart device.

Either the Dexcom receiver or a compatible mobile device will display glucose trends in a colorful display so you can easily see when it’s within range, high or low.

With Dexcom G5, users will be alerted directly on their smart devices when they’re heading too high or too low. Moreover, alerts can be customized to appear as text messages for additional privacy and discretion.

Fantastic news, for the diabetes industry, and for everyone patiently waiting in the Diabetes Community too!

It might be possible to test your blood glucose level without a finger prick in the near future. Currently there are various companies testing bloodless glucose meters. One of these glucose meters measures blood sugar using light in less than 20 seconds. The landscape of this technology has grown stronger with solid research and several companies have a real shot of introducing the no stick glucose meter to the market.

Bloodless Glucose Meter – Grove Instruments

Grove Instruments’ newest creation is the optical bridge technology that uses near infrared spectroscopy to measure real time blood glucose in less than 20 seconds. The device is battery-operated just like the traditional meter. However, the main difference is that you only have to place on your earlobe or fingertip. The device is one of its kind and it has already been patented. Grove expects this innovation to allow people suffering from diabetes to monitor their blood sugar levels more easily and convenient. The device will also enable doctors to screen people for diabetes and pre-diabetes more quickly.

Echo Therapeutics

The Symphony tCGM biosensor that monitors blood glucose levels continuously using a thersdermal sensor was developed by Eco Therapeutics. After placing the biosensor on site, it only needs to warm up for the symphony to transmit the blood glucose level of the user wirelessly to a remote monitor every minute. The monitor keeps track of the rate of glucose changes and the glucose level. Moreover, it provides audible and visual alarms in case the user’s rate of change and blood glucose levels move outside the target range.

OrSense Bloodless Glucose Meter.

Orsense monitors the users’ Blood glucose level using the spectOLight Occlusion Spectroscopy Technology. This bloodless glucose meter has a ring shaped sensor that can be worn on the thumb or any other finger. The ring applies gentle pressure on the finger in order to occlude blood flow. Tests on over 450 diabetic subjects show that this glucose meter performs similar to invasive sensors available in the market.

Cnoga Medical Ltd.

Cnoga medical, a start up in Israel, has developed a bloodless glucose monitor that uses optical sensors to track changes in skin color instead of taking a physical blood sample by pricking the skin. Although this device is already available in Europe, it will probably require further clinical trials in the United States before being sold to diabetics officially. However, the monitor’s technology has already been approved by the FDA (United States Food and Drug administration) for other applications.

Instead of pricking the finger, the patient can simply place a finger on the optical sensor in order for the device to monitor the blood sugar level, skin resistance, the quality of skin collagen and the heart rate.

Arriva Bloodless Glucose Meter

Arriva has created a talking meter which has quite useful for the elderly and diabetics whose vision is impaired. Although the Arrive glucose meter does not require finger pricks, it still requires a small blood sample which is presumably from alternate site such as the palm forearm or thigh for calibrating the sensors periodically. The sensor can be placed on the abdomen or upper arm with a special adhesive.

This no stick glucose meter uses interstitial fluid measurements rather than blood glucose and their testing kits are very useful for showing any trends in your blood sugar level. Moreover, the talking meter is easier to use, more accurate and pain free.

Non Invasive Glucose Monitor

Finally there’s great news with regards to the much sought after non invasive glucose monitor for diabetics. This method of measuring blood glucose levels has been the goal of many different companies over the years, some receiving the CE mark, but none have yet to be marketed.

This device consists of a main unit, which is battery operated – a transmitter, receiver and processor and a Personal Ear Clip which attaches to the earlobe. The GlucoTrack non invasive glucose monitor has a USB port to download your personal information and blood glucose levels to your computer, or other storage device, for analysis by you or your diabetes management team. Even if you need to monitor your blood 5 or 6 times a day, it’s as easy as just clipping the earpiece to your ear and the levels are displayed on the screen, or announced verbally to you within a minute! As easy as that. No more continuous finger pricking to draw blood for testing!

Can I track more than one persons levels on the same meter? Good question.

Yes, the main unit of the GlucoTrack meter (model DF-F) can support 3 different users. You will just need a separate PEC (Personal Ear Clip) for each user, as it has to calibrate individually. There are no disposables required for the GlucoTrack, however it is necessary to replace the Personal Ear Clip approximately every 6 months to ensure the accuracy of the measurements. This meter will alert you ahead of time when it’s necessary to replace the PEC. Integrity Applications has received the CE Mark which allows them to Market and sell the GlucoTrack Meter in European Union, and it is expected to be available for sale to the general public in a few countries during 2014. Check this website regularly for more updates on its availability.

GluCall Non invasive Glucose Monitor

GluCall blood glucose meters, are another prototype that we could be seeing on the market in the not too distant future. GluCall is another painless method of measuring glucose levels, it is worn like a wristwatch and has the ability to give continuous blood glucose readings via the skin. The GluCall also has the capacity to store data for use by your diabetes management team.

C8 Non-invasive Optical Glucose Monitor

This is yet another non invasive glucose monitor that will hopefully hit the open market soon. It uses the power of light, to measure your levels – a painless pulse of light is transmitted into the skin to monitor your levels continuously. The C8 Medisensors have a great battery life, which is always an advantage, getting you through a full day of monitoring.

Gluco (M) – Monitors sugar levels using Electric Flow

Another design concept that I’m personally looking out for, very sleek looking monitor, worn on the wrist like a bracelet. It works by tracking your glucose levels through your bodily fluids, using an electric flow.

Also stores data and previous readings

Has the capacity to store insulin cartridges in a small built in chamber.

Definitely be watching closely for this model to come onto the market!

Echo Therapeutics Non Invasive Glucose Monitor

The ‘Symphony’ is another innovative idea to make life just a bit easier for diabetics. Developed mainly to target the hospital and critical care patients requiring constant blood glucose monitoring. We at Diabetes Healthy Solutions, will keep a close eye on all further developments regarding all the Non Invasive Glucose Monitors mentioned here, let’s all hope we start to see some on the market very soon for all of us to benefit from! Read on for more info.

There are many different types of best blood glucose monitors on the market and it is up to you to determine which one is best for you and your needs. Blood glucose monitors are the key to being able to safely maintain and monitor your diabetes and blood glucose levels safely and effectively.

With all the many different types of blood glucose monitoring devices on the market often times a diabetic can feel overwhelmed and unaware of all the different types of diabetic monitoring devices to know which ones are the best ones to get or purchase for their needs.
For example, not only are their best blood glucose monitors but there are also diabetes watches which are usually worn on the wrist like a wristwatch.

The monitor checks blood glucose levels by administering a painless electric shock which draws interstitial fluid from the pores and this is read by the monitor to obtain a blood glucose level. This testing can be done with no pain or other side effects as often as every 20 minutes and the readings are recorded by the monitor, which can also be set to alarm if readings are too high or too low. With this kind of continuous sampling tracking and trending changes in blood glucose levels throughout the day is relatively easy with diabetic watches.

Diabetic watches, blood glucose monitors and many other diabetic supplies which can be found on the market today are a vital part to being able to safely and accurately monitor your blood glucose numbers and readings. Why not safely monitor you diabetes with all of the proper best blood glucose monitors that is now offered on the market so that you can safely and accurately test and keep a watch on your diabetes?

Best Blood Glucose Meters

For a diabetic they have to rely on a diabetic blood glucose meter to constantly monitor their levels – If this simple procedure gets neglected, it could actually mean life or death!Some of the most basic meters are often the ones that we don’t even realize are the best.

There are so many different blood glucose meters on the market that it often times can be confusing determining which ones are the best and which ones we need to use that can make such a difference in our lives. We often have the conception that the best of any product is the most expensive ones but in all reality that is untrue.

When it comes to trying to determine which are the best blood glucose meters on the market there are many factors to take into consideration such as price range, always know what price range you are looking for, also what their rating is on accuracy in providing accurate results each and every time, ease of use, portability and convenience, you always want a blood glucose meter that has all of these features otherwise it can start making for inaccurate results.

There are many different websites out there that can be found through your local American Association for Diabetes, doctor’s office, local Diabetes Chapter or online that specialize in finding the best blood glucose meters for you and me so that we can safely and accurately keep a check on our diabetes.

When it comes to diabetes, without a good blood sugar meter, we can’t accurately keep check on our diabetes which means that if left untreated can lead to more serious medical problems and side effects so it is very important and key to properly maintain our diabetes safely and in a healthy way, and with the best blood glucose meters, you can do just that!

Continuous Blood Glucose monitoring helps people with diabetes manage the disease and avoid its associated problems. A person can use the results of glucose monitoring to make decisions about food, physical activity, and medications. The most common way to check glucose levels involves pricking a fingertip with an automatic lancing device to obtain a blood sample and then using a glucose meter to measure the blood sample’s glucose level.

Continuous blood glucose monitoring (CGM) systems use a tiny sensor inserted under the skin to check glucose levels in tissue fluid. The sensor stays in place for several days to a week and then must be replaced. A transmitter sends information about glucose levels via radio waves from the sensor to a pager like wireless monitor. The user must check blood samples with a glucose meter to program the devices.

Continuous blood glucose monitoring systems are more expensive than conventional glucose monitoring, but they may enable better glucose control. Users can set alarms to alert them when glucose levels are too low or too high. Special software is available to download data from the devices to a computer for tracking and analysis of patterns and trends, and the systems can display trend graphs on the monitor screen.

Some of the key factors to remember when it comes to diabetes and properly maintaining them is that Glucose monitoring helps people with diabetes manage the disease and avoid its associated problems. The most common way to check glucose levels involves pricking a fingertip to obtain a blood sample and using a glucose meter to measure the glucose level in the sample. Continuous blood glucose monitoring (CGM) systems use a tiny sensor inserted under the skin to check glucose levels in tissue fluid. A transmitter sends glucose measurements to a wireless monitor.

Talking Blood Glucose Meter

Are you hard of hearing or even know a diabetic that is blind and can’t see well? Diabetics come in all shapes and sizes, race, sex, age and many other factors can be found when it comes to diabetes. A talking blood glucose meter is a new innovative blood glucose meter taking the nation by storm and the world and patients with diabetes.

The talking blood glucose meter is a fun, yet innovative way to help those diabetics who can’t see well, hear well or see those small numbers on their blood glucose meters.

For diabetes it doesn’t matter how old you are, how young you are, if you are black, white, red, purple, male or female diabetes can hit anyone in its path that is unfortunate enough to be plagued with the horrific disease.

For those who are older or have a hearing disability or struggle to see well has a hard time controlling their diabetes due to the fact that they can’t see the numbers and know what their readings are so that effects how they control their diabetes. With the talking blood glucose meter you can now have peace of mind that your blood glucose readings can be controlled with the right tools to do so.

There are so many different blood glucose meters out there that it is often times overwhelming trying to determine which one is the best for you, gives the most accurate reading and can be found at a reasonable price range. For so many people having diabetes, it means a lot of unexpected medical expenses that are not normally budgeted. With the talking blood glucose meter you can have a great blood glucose meter at an affordable price for anyone that has difficultly hearing, seeing or any other reason.

There are many different types of blood glucose monitoring devices on the market and it is up to you to determine which one is best for you and your needs. Blood glucose monitoring devices are the key to being able to safely maintain and monitor your diabetes and blood glucose levels safely and effectively.

With all the many different types of blood glucose monitoring devices on the market often times a diabetic can feel overwhelmed and unaware of all the different types of diabetic monitoring devices to know which ones are the best ones to get or purchase for their needs.

For example, not only are their diabetic glucose monitoring devices but there are also diabetes watches which are usually worn on the wrist like a wristwatch. The monitor checks blood glucose levels by administering a painless electric shock which draws interstitial fluid from the pores and this is read by the monitor to obtain a blood glucose level. This testing can be done with no pain or other side effects as often as every 20 minutes and the readings are recorded by the monitor, which can also be set to alarm if readings are too high or too low. With this kind of continuous sampling tracking and trending changes in blood glucose levels throughout the day is relatively easy with diabetic watches.

Diabetic watches, diabetic glucose monitoring devices and many other diabetic supplies which can be found on the market today are a vital part to being able to safely and accurately monitor your blood glucose numbers and readings. Why not safely monitor you diabetes with all of the proper diabetic glucose monitoring devices that is now offered on the market so that you can safely and accurately test and keep a watch on your diabetes?